Module 2 Activity Research

Weekly Activity Template

Tina Ye

Project 2

Module 2

Exploring the method of creating the project and make the prototype that is planned to use for triggering with the sensors that we chose to test with the projector. We were planning to make a product like a calming night lamp, which works like covering the light sensor, then projector shows the visuals that we will create through TouchDesigner, we are planning to use: Arduino UNO, light sensor, TouchDesigner, and maybe some interactions when using the idea of design.

Workshop 1 Geurilla Prototyping I

For workshop one, we made a phone stand using cardboard, this process helps us to understand how to make a prototype using cardboard and know what tools can be used to create the prototype. We found a tutorial through YouTube and learned from the video, this photo shows that we were cropping the cardboard.

After cropping the parts that we need for our phone stand, we used glue gun to stick all of the parts together that can allow us to make the final phone stand. It wasn't stable at first because the phone was to heavy, therefore we added more cardboard to make the phone stand more stable than before.

The angle shows the phone stand at the front of when users using the phone stand to look at their phone.

The phone stand with the angle that shows at the side, there's a stand at the back that holds the phone stand by stucking the stand with the holes at phone stand's back.

Another angle of the phone stand that shows how the back of the prototype looks like.

Workshop 2 Geurilla Prototyping II

Draft one of our prototype, it's about making a cushion with a sensor inside the cushion.

It will work like putting the cushion on the back of chair or on the bed, when user hides the sensor by covering the lights, the visuals will show up to make users feel calm.

This is another idea of our prototype by putting the sensor directly at the chair's back without creating the cushion, we believe this will bring the same effect by putting the sensor at this place.

This is one of the prototype that we made out by using cardboard, and covering the prototype with fabric to make it feel like a completed prototype. but we found out a problem by making this, because we realized that light sensor will be covered up if we want to put it in the cushion, which means we are still trying to think of other methods and planning to get new idea at project 3.

This is how it looks like when a user sits on a chair and covering the light sensor.

Activity 1: My Resarch

We've tested that the LED works successfully through Arduino UNO, it lights up when we put the LED onto the breadboard with wires plugged on the Arduino.

The light sensor should trigger when we cover the light sensor with our hands and turning on LED. However, it did not work when we connected the LED with light sensor and Arduino code, we followed every step through tutorials that we found on YouTube, but it's still not working by the connections.

We have also found other tutorials online and followed every step, but the light bulb still didn't turn up whenever we cover up the light sensor.

We've also checked through Arduino's serial monitor to see if the code is running or not, because we thought that it was the code's problem. But then we found out that code we found were running successfully through Arduino, so then we moved forward to see if it was other problems.

Moreover, we also checked if the data on serial monitor will change when we cover up the light sensor, the results shown on the GIF clearly that data number changes when we cover the sensor, so we also knew that it was not sensor's problem.

Activity 2: My Reearch

Meanwhile, Sanren was testing on TouchDesigner that we are planning to use for our project, she tried to figure out the visuals that we could create through this application, and looking over on different tutorials online. The image shows that she made a visualization by following one of the tutorial that she found on website.

From this image, it shows the detail of how the TouchDesigner is used, it seemed hard to understand about how the application is used and what we can create through TouchDesigner, but we are still trying to figure out more about TouchDesigner and learn how to use this application.

We also looked up more tutorials with Arduino and sensors, we were trying to find out why the LED is never turning on when we cover the light sensor. We were sure that light sensor, LED, and code were working well through Arduino, but we were not sure why it's never working when we are doing the testings.

Sanren also tested about how the TouchDesigner can be used with tracking system, she made a small testing through TouchDesigner, and moved her mouse around on the screen, the balls on TouchDesigner tracked her mouse to wherever she moved to.

This was the first testing that she did through TouchDesigner by following the tutorial that she found on YouTube, but the result didn't come out well and didn't work after creating the visual, feels like somethings went wrong. This is why we didn't work with this for testing.

Additional Research or Workshops

We've tested to see if the light sensor is being active or not. From the gif, it clearly shows on the chart that the line chart goes up and down whenever we cover the light sensor with our finger.

We also looked up at serial monitor and found out that light sensor are working depending on the change of data numbers, this is obvious by looking at the change of data that goes bigger when covering up and returning to zero when showing the light sensor with lights.

Then we thought that it might be sensor kit's problem, this is why we also looked up at basic tutorials about Arduino sensor kit. However, we tested almost all of the functions that sensor kit has, but it shows that Arduino Sensor Kit is working as well.

About the exploration on TouchDesigner and Arduino's connection, we found some tutorials and connected the Arduino's data to be shown on TouchDesigner, this was successful but we did not know how to move on. So we tried to learn more about how to connect other data with Arduino.

We always thought that the LED didn't turn on is because of the code, so I reviewed the video tutorial and found out that we should use some specific resistors on our breadboard, I found the resistors that we need and tried the test again. The LED finally turned on when covering the light sensor.

Project 2

Project 2 Prototype

This project is about creating night lamp that reacts by covering light sensor. The main idea is to hide a sensor inside the cushion, so when someone leans on or hugs the pillow, the sensor can trigger and send data to projector and TouchDesigner, this helps with presenting the visuals that we will create through TouchDesigner, we might add a pulse sensor as well to allow TouchDesigner change the visuals due to their heart rate. The video shows the demostration of how we want our project look like and how it might work as a final.

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